The Effects of Subsidized Childcare on Student Parents Access to

Portland State University PDXScholar Dissertations and Theses Dissertations and Theses 2003 The Effects of Subsidized Childcare on Student Parents' Access to Higher Education at Portland State University Elizabeth Dawn Creach Portland State University Follow this and additional works at: https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds Part of the Family, Life Course, and Society Commons, and the Higher Education Commons Let us know how access to this document benefits you Recommended Citation Creach, Elizabeth Dawn, "The Effects of Subsidized Childcare on Student Parents' Access to Higher Education at Portland State University" (2003) Dissertations and Theses Paper 3667 https://doi.org/10.15760/etd.5551 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of PDXScholar Please contact us if we can make this document more accessible: pdxscholar@pdx.edu THESIS APPROVAL The abstract and thesis of Elizabeth Dawn Creach for the Master of Science in Sociology were presented November 5, 2003, and accepted by the thesis committee and the department COMMITTEE APPROVALS : / ·n aniel Sullivan Grant Farr Carol Morgaine Representative of the Office of Graduate Studies DEPARTMENT APPROVAL: Grant Farr, Chair Department of Sociology ABSTRACT An abstract of the thesis of Elizabeth Dawn Creach for the Master of Science in Sociology presented November 5, 2003 Title: The Effects of Subsidized Childcare on Student Parents' Access to Higher Education at Portland State University Student parents are an increasing population of enrollees in higher education However, access to quality and affordable childcare is a substantial barrier for student parents, especially women Because high quality childcare tends to also be expensive, student parents may be forced to trade-off between their enrollment level and their satisfaction with childcare Subsidized, or reduced-cost, childcare is an important resource that may allow student parents to more fully access higher education and decrease the pressure to make a childcare-enrollment trade-off The purpose of this study was to identify critical childcare resources that student parents utilize that allow them to access higher education at varying levels, but also to make assumptions about parents unable to enroll due to barriers and/or lack of resources This study sought to answer the following questions: 1) To what extent does subsidized childcare facilitate student parents' access to higher education? Is subsidized childcare a more important resource for some groups of :• students than for others?, and 2) Are student parents making childcare-enrollment trade-offs in order to pursue higher education? Are certain groups of students more vulnerable to making trade-offs? A random sample of 750 student parents at Portland State University who had applied for Federal Financial Aid for the 2002-2003 school year were selected to receive a mail survey After three mailings, 332 returned useable surveys were analyzed, which yielded a response rate of 44.8% The results indicated that student parent Financial Aid applicants at PSU, 75% of whom are women, are using a variety of complex childcare arrangements and resources that allow them to access higher education Student parents were more likely to be enrolled full-time than non-parents, but almost half indicated that they were not satisfied with their desired enrollment level Student parents appear to be using different types of strategies to balance school, work, and family responsibilities The strategies that students have available to them varies significantly by gender, marital status, class, and the age of their youngest child Many student parents who are resource poor were utilizing subsidized childcare This was a critical resource that facilitated their access to higher education ""' THE EFFECTS OF SUBSIDIZED CHILDCARE ON STUDENT PARENTS' ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION AT PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY by ELIZABETH DAWN CREACH A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE m SOCIOLOGY Portland State University 2003 This thesis is dedicated to my daughter, Tyler You are the purpose, driving force, and sunshine in my life every day ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This research would not have been possible without funding from the Portland State University President's Commission on the Status of Women I would like to sincerely thank the members of my thesis committee who have supported me through this process: Daniel Sullivan Grant Farr I would also like to specially thank the chair of my thesis committee, Johanna Brenner, for her generous guidance, patience, and mentoring This thesis would also not have been possible without the relentless support of : Jack M Creach, Jr Linda L Pouliot & John W Rutherford, III "" TABLE OF CONTENTS • Acknowledgments ii • List of Tables iv • Chapter I: Introduction Literature Review Research Questions • Chapter II: Methodology Sample Characteristics Operational Definitions Hypotheses 10 Chapter III: Findings Who Are Student Parents at PSU? Children, Childcare, and Costs Enrollment Characteristics Hypotheses Different Strategies for Different Students 18 18 23 32 37 • Chapter IV: Conclusion 63 • References 68 • Appendix A: Cover Letter 70 • Appendix B: Survey Instrument 71 • Appendix C: Reminder Postcard 76 • " •'!! 11 16 59 LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Selected Sample and Population Characteristics(%) 11 Table 2: Selected Characteristics of Respondents and PSU Population(%) 18 Table 3: Marital Status, Income, Hours Worked Per Week, and Student Loan Debt for Total Sample, Males, & Females 20 Table 4: Total Monthly Cost of Childcare by Age of Youngest Child, Excluding Those with No Costs($) 24 Table 5: Types of Free or Reduced-Cost Childcare Utilized by Student Parents 26 Table 6: Types of Childcare for Youngest Child, by Age Group (%) 27 Table 6.1: Types of Childcare for Youngest Child (ages 0-5), by Gender(%) 28 Table 6.2: Primary Childcare Arrangement for Youngest Child, by Gender(%) 29 Table 6.3: Primary Childcare Arrangement for Youngest Child, by Gender & Marital Status(%) 30 Table 7: Classes Missed Due to Problems with Childcare, by Gender(%) 31 Table 7.1: Classes Missed due to Problems with Childcare, by Gender & Marital Status(%) 32 Table 8: Mean Number of Credit Hours, by Gender & Graduate/Undergraduate Status 33 Table 9: PT/FT Enrollment Status of Respondents and PSU Population(%) 34 Table 10: Self-Reported Reasons for Taking Fewer Credit Hours Than Desired (%) 36 Table 11: Student Parents' Subjective Enrollment Status, by Gender(%) 37 Table 11.1: Self-Reported Reasons for Taking Fewer Credit Hours Than Desired, by Gender (%) 38 Table 12: Student Parents' Subjective Enrollment Status, by Gender & Marital Status(%) 40 Table 12.l: Self-Reported Reasons for Taking Fewer Credit Hours Than Desired, by Gender & Marital Status (%) 41 Table 13: Student Parents Subjective and Objective Enrollment Status, by Gender & Marital Status(%) 43 Table 13.1: Median Number of Enrolled Credit Hours, by Subjective Enrollment Status, Gender, & Marital Status (%) 43 Table 14: Characteristics of Resource Poor and Non-Resource Poor Student Parents 46 Table 15: The Importance of Subsidized Childcare 48 Table 16: Subjective Enrollment Status of Resource Poor Student Parents, by Access to Subsidized Childcare (%) 49 Table 17: Subjective Enrollment Status of Resource Poor Student Parents Who Are Taking Fewer or More Credit Hours Than They Desire, by Access to Subsidized Childcare (%) 50 Table 18: Subjective Enrollment Status of Resource Poor Student Parents, by Access to Subsidized Childcare & Enrollment Status (%) 52 Table 18.1: Resource Poor Student Parents' Median Enrolled Credit Hours, by Access to Subsidized Childcare(%) 52 Table 19: Females' Level of Satisfaction with Primary Childcare Arrangement, by Full-Time & Part-Time Status(%) 55 Table 19.1: Females' Level of Satisfaction with Primary Childcare Arrangement, by Enrollment Status & Marital Status(%) 55 ~ Table 20: Full-Time Resource Poor Females' Level of Satisfaction with 57 Primary Childcare Arrangement, by Access to Subsidized Childcare (%) Table 20.1: Full-Time Resource Poor Females' Level of Satisfaction with Primary Childcare Arrangement by Access to Subsidized Childcare & Age of Child (%) 58 for students who are low-income and lack unpaid childcare Single females were the most likely group to be enrolled in school full-time, but had the highest amounts of student loan debt I speculate that single females, who have the fewest resources available to them, are the most likely group to want to use the "rushing" strategy to get through school 62 IV Conclusion Three-quarters of student parents at Portland State University are women Female student parents who are accessing higher education differ from male student parents significantly Female student parents are much less likely to be married/partnered, are more likely to be low-income, are much more likely to be using forms of paid childcare, generally work fewer paid hours than males, but are incurring much larger amounts of student loan debt Some, but not all, of the disadvantages women face are due to their marital status, in that they are missing a partner as a crucial resource to provide household income, support, and unpaid childcare However, married females are still much less likely than married males to have access to unpaid childcare, and they were actually slightly more likely than single females to indicate that the cost of childcare was a barrier to their access to higher education The experience of being a student parent is highly gendered, and we can see the effects of the unequal distribution of childcare labor Childcare is a substantial barrier to higher education for women Student parents at PSU are a highly adaptable and determined group Despite the challenges of balancing family, work, and school responsibilities, they are performing very well academically, and are actually more likely to be enrolled in school full-time than the general PSU student body Student parents are utilizing a variety of childcare arrangements and resources in order to meet their childcare needs while they access higher education However, more childcare resources are desperately needed at Portland State 63 University Most student parents have young children who are not yet in school and require large amounts of childcare Only a very small proportion of student parents have access to forms of subsidized childcare The long waiting lists at the oncampus subsidized childcare centers provide strong evidence of student parents' preference for high-quality, low-cost childcare Yet, despite the limited amount of subsidized childcare, student parents are finding ways to adapt They face many barriers, but it does not seem to inhibit their enrollment in higher education But what are the costs? Even though student parents are more likely to be enrolled full-time than other PSU students, almost half are not enrolled in their desired number of credit hours Some students are enrolled in fewer credits while others are enrolled in more credits than they would like I have suggested that either taking more or fewer credit hours is a product of the barriers that student parents face The tuition pricing structure that allows a flat rate for full-time enrollment is one explanation of why students are overloading on credit hours Students are attempting to rush through their education in order to reduce the costs associated with being a student The paradox of this research is that student parents who have access to subsidized childcare are more likely to be taking fewer credit hours than they would like, even though they are objectively more likely to be enrolled full-time It appears that students with the fewest resources available to them, which are the student parents accessing subsidized childcare, are the most likely to prefer using the rushing strategy 64 Again, when we look at who is accessing subsidized childcare, we find that it is the student parents with the fewest resources available to them Overwhelmingly, they are low-income single females And, even though 81 % of single females are enrolled full-time, access to subsidized childcare does not seem to be enough to allow them to be enrolled at their desired credit level because they prefer to overload on credit hours With the end of the flat rate tuition for full-time enrollment coming within the next year, will students still enroll in more credits than they would like as a strategy to get through school? Are female student parents pressured into sacrificing their satisfaction with their childcare arrangements in order to gain full access to higher education? We have evidence that female student parents enrolled full-time are less satisfied with their childcare than those enrolled part-time regardless of marital status Full-time female student parents may be making costly trade-offs in order to pursue their education Subsidized childcare is a critical resource for student parents who are lowincome and not have access to forms of unpaid childcare We have observed that among resource poor females with young children who are enrolled full-time despite these barriers, the vast majority had access to subsidized childcare It is likely that without subsidized childcare they would drop down to part-time enrollment, consider less expensive and/or less satisfactory childcare arrangements, or simply not be able to enroll in school at all 65 Limitations and Suggestions for Future Research One of the major drawbacks of this research was the sample size, which constrained, if not prohibited, most of the multivariate analysis on subpopulations Student parents are a very diverse population in that there are a multitude of strategies for dealing with childcare arrangements and costs that allow access, however varied, to higher education Student parents are masters at adapting and seem very determined to pursue their education despite barriers they may face The experience of being a student parent varies significantly by gender, marital status, class, and the age of the youngest child A sample size large enough to allow multivariate analysis on each subpopulation is greatly needed Although we have speculated as to why students are enrolled in more credit hours than they would like, it would be informative to have collected data on this phenomenon Also, asking student parents to directly voice their opinion on the importance of subsidized childcare would be valuable An in-depth qualitative analysis would be extremely beneficial to capture the complexities and extent to which student parents are daily grappling with childcare and access to higher education The sample of student parents was not, unfortunately, representative of all student parents at Portland State University Even though all students are eligible for Federal Student Loans, student parents who not apply for Federal Financial Aid not appear in this study These students may be accessing higher education through their own earned income, scholarships, or employer-sponsored programs 66 Students who not apply for Financial Aid have more resources available to them, but this research was primarily interested in students who are resource poor It is important to remember that this research focused on student parents already accessing higher education Student parents who have achieved access have at least some resources available to them Parents who would like to access higher education, but are faced with barriers that not even allow them to set foot in the door, not appear in this study Has the population of student parents who are able to access higher education changed? In 1990, Emlen found that 65% of student parents were single females, compared to 45% in this research This could be indicative of the changes since welfare reform, which have made it more difficult for low-income single females to access higher education Subsidized childcare is a great facilitator for parents who are missing and/or lacking other critical childcare resources Although researchers are studying the effects of subsidized childcare on working families, it is important to also keep in mind families who are struggling to gain access to higher education Many of these families are striving to achieve self-sufficiency and break away from the cycle of poverty Given the strong correlation between higher education and socioeconomic status, subsidized childcare is a wise investment in these families' future 67 REFERENCES Abramovitz, Mimi (1988) Regulating the Lives of Women Massachusetts: South End Press Berger, Mark C and Black, Dan A (1992) "Child Care Subsidies, Quality of Care, and the Labor Supply of Low-Income Single Mothers." The Review o(Economics and Statistics 74(4):635-642 Bivin, David and Rooney, Patrick Michael (1999) "Forecasting Credit Hours." Research in Higher Education, 40(5):613-632 Blau, Francine D (1998) "Trends in the Well-Being of American Women, 1970-1995." Journal o(American Economic Literature, 36:112-65 Coalition for Independence Through Education (CFITE) (2002, Feb.) "Access and Barriers to Post-Secondary Education Under Michigan's Welfare to Work Policies." Corcoran, M and Loeb, S (1999, Spring) "Will wages grow with experience for welfare mothers?" Focus, 20 (2):20-21 Dillman, Don; Christenson, James A.; Carpenter, Edwin H.; Brooks, Ralph M (1974) "Increasing Mail Questionnaire Response: A Four State Comparison." American Sociological Review 39, (5):744-758 Emlen, Arthur (August 1990) "Student Parents at an Urban University: A survey of how financial aid applicants at Portland State University balance schoolwork, jobs, career planning, childcare and family life." Portland State University, Regional Research Institute for Human Services Emlen, Arthur C and Emlen, Matthew D (December 1991) "Student Parents at an Urban University: Balancing Schoolwork, Jobs, Child Care, Family, and Financial Aid." Portland State University, Regional Research Institute for Human Services Emlen, Arthur C and Emlen, Matthew D (March 1991) "Aiding Student Parents at Portland State University." Portland State University, Regional Research Institute for Human Services 68 Fadale, L.M & Winter, G.M (1991) "Campus-based child care and the academic success of student-parents." Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 15 (2):15-123 Gettell, M Schehl, M and Fareri, C (1990) "From welfare to independence: The college option: A report to the Ford Foundation." New York: Howard Samuels State Management and Policy Center Gonchar, Nancy (1995) "College-student mothers and onsite child care: luxury or necessity?" Social Work in Education 17(4):226-234 Maume, David J (1991) "Childcare Expenditures and Women's Employment Turnover." Social Forces 70(2):495-508 Mishel, Lawrence; Bernstein, Jared; Boushey, Heather 2003 The State of Working America: 2002-2003 Ithica, NY: Cornell University Press Okun, Morris A.; Benin, Mary; Brandt-Williams, Ann "Staying in College: Moderators of the Relation between Intention and Institutional Departure." Journal o[Higher Education, 67(5):577-596 Pavetti, L (1999, Spring) "How much more can welfare mothers work?" Focus, 20(2):16-19 Perkins, George; Pitter, Gita Wijesinghe; Howat, Claudia; Whitfield, Duane (1999) "Relationship of Financial Aid, Work and College Performance." Paper Presented at the Annual Forum of the Association for Institutional Research (39th, Seattle, WA, May 30-June 3, 1999) Sapiro, V (1999) Women in American Society: An Introduction to Women's Studies, 4th ed London: Mayfield Smith, Kristin Who's Minding the Kids? Child Care Arrangements: Spring 1997 Current Population Reports, P70-86 U.S Census Bureau, Washington, DC, 2002 Stratton, Leslie S.; O' Toole, Dennis M.; Wetzel, James N (2001) "Factors Affecting Part-Time Enrollment within the First Year." Paper Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Association for Institutional Research (41st, Long Beach, CA, June 3-6, 2001) 69 Appendix A: Cover Letter Greetings! My name is Dawn Creach and I am a graduate student in the Sociology Department at Portland State University I am beginning a study about student parents at PSU As a single mother and student myself, I am well aware of the challenges we face while balancing family, work, and school responsibilities I would like to invite you to participate in this exciting research so that we can better understand the needs and experiences of student parents such as yourself If you decide to participate, you will complete the enclosed survey and return it in the postage-paid envelope The survey contains questions about your current childcare arrangements, your experiences as a student parent, and information about you It should take approximately 15 minutes to complete The results of this study will be presented to the PSU President's Commission on the Status of Women, Student Parent Services, and other school administrators Although you may not receive any direct benefit from taking part in this study, the information that is collected will inform policy making and resource allocation at PSU This survey has been sent to you through the office of Student Parent Services Your name and address are completely anonymous to me, the primary researcher The identification number located on your survey and return envelope will only be used to send a replacement survey to those who have not responded After you return your survey, you will be assigned a case number so that no information can be traced back to you Your participation in this study is voluntary If you decide not to participate, your relationship with PSU and Student Parent Services will not change in any way Please keep a copy of this letter for your records If you have concerns or problems about your participation in this study or your rights as a research subject, please contact the Human Subjects Research Review Committee, Office of Research and Sponsored Projects, 111 Cramer Hall, Portland State University, (503) 725-3423 If you have any questions about the study itself, you can contact me at Portland State University, Department of Sociology, Cramer Hall 217X, (503) 725-9025 Thank you, in advance, for taking the time to fill out and return this short survey Please return your survey by May 7, 2003 Your participation is critical for the success of this study Sincerely, E Dawn Creach Portland State University Department of Sociology 70 Appendix B: Survey Instrument We are trying to get a picture of how your child is cared for while you are in classes, working, or studying If you have more than one child, please tell us about your youngest child only If your youngest child is in Kindergarten through High School please start on the next page Q.#5 If your youngest child is age 0-5, and has not started kindergarten yet, please start on this page.Q#1 Please provide information for EACH different type of care that you use for your youngest child For example, if your child attends preschool days per week and your spouse or partner cares for your child during a night class evening per week, you would mark YES and fill out questions and What is the age of this child? _ _ My child attends a childcare center, preschool, or nursery _ _NO (skip to Q.3) _ _ YES If YES: 2A How many hours per week? _ _ 28 Approximately how much you pay per month? $_ _ 2C This childcare center, preschool, or nursery is: (mark only one) a._A reduced-cost center on campus at PSU (ASPSU or Helen Gordon) b._A reduced-cost or sliding-scale center, such as YMCA or Head Start c._ A regular (full-cost) center d._Other center Please specify_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 20 All things considered, how satisfied are you with this childcare arrangement? (mark only one) a._Very Satisfied b._Somewhat Satisfied c Somewhat Concerned d._Very Concerned My child is cared for in my home or someone else's home _ _ _NO (skip to Q.4) _ _ _ YES IFYES: 3A How many hours per week? _ _ 38 Approximately how much you pay per month? $_ _ 3C This care is provided by (mark all that apply) a._An unpaid spouse or partner b._An unpaid relative, such as grandparent or aunt c._A paid relative d._A paid non-relative, such as a babysitter or daycare home 30 All things considered, how satisfied are you with this childcare arrangement? (mark only one) a._Very satisfied b Somewhat satisfied c Somewhat Concerned d._Very Concerned My child cares for him/herself _ _ _ NO (skip to Question 10, page 3) _ _ _YES IFYES: 4A How many hours per week? _ _ 48 All things considered, how satisfied are you with this arrangement? (mark only one) a._Very Satisfied b._Somewhat Satisfied c._Somewhat Concerned d._Very Concerned Please continue on to Question 10, page 71 Fill out this page if your youngest child is in Kindergarten through High School Please provide information for EACH different type of care that you use for your youngest child For example, if your child goes to school during the day and then your spouse or partner cares For them during your night class, you would mark YES and fill out questions and What is the age of this child?_ My child attends kindergarten, grade school, middle school, or high school 6A How many hours per week? _ 68 Approximately how much you pay per month? $_ _ 6C This school is (mark only one) a._A public school b._A private school YES My child attends a before-school or after-school program NO (skip to Q.S) IFYES: YES 7A How many hours per week? _ _ 78 Approximately how much you pay per month? $_ _ 7C This program is (mark only one) a._Free b._Reduced-Cost c._Full Cost 70 All things considered, how satisfied are you with this arrangement? (mark only one) a._Very Satisfied b._Somewhat Satisfied c Somewhat Concerned d._Very Concerned My child is cared for in my home or someone else's home NO (skip to Q.9) IF YES: YES SA How many hours per week? _ _ S8 Approximately how much you pay per month?$_ _ SC This care is provided by (mark all that apply) a._An unpaid spouse or partner b._An unpaid relative, such as grandparent or aunt c._A paid relative d._A paid non-relative, such as a babysitter or daycare home SO All things considered, how satisfied are you with this arrangement? a._Very Satisfied b._Somewhat Satisfied c._Somewhat Concerned d._Very Concerned My child cares for him/herself _ _ NO (skip to Q.10) _ _ YES IFYES: 9A How many hours per week? _ _ 98 All things considered, how satisfied are you with this arrangement? (mark only one) a._Very Satisfied c._Somewhat Concerned b._Somewhat Satisfied d._Very Concerned 72 10 Approximately how much you pay per month for childcare for all of your children? $ per month 11 Other than your income (including loans and financial aid), what resources you have for childcare? (mark all that apply) a._I have a spouse, partner, friend, or other family member who provides childcare free of charge b._I have reduced-cost daycare (like ASPSU or HGCDC) or sliding scale fees c._I receive a childcare scholarship (such as the Jim Sells Award) d._I receive help from the government for childcare costs e._I have no additional resources, other than income, to pay for childcare f._Other resource(s) Please specify_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 12 How many credit hours are you taking this term? _ _ 13 Which best describes your current enrollment status? (mark only one) a._I am taking more credit hours than I would like (skip to question 14) b._I am taking just as many credit hours as I would like (skip to question 14) c._I am taking fewer credit hours than I would like 13A If you are taking fewer credit hours than you would like, why? (mark all that apply) a._I am a full time employee b._Loss of Student Childcare Block Grant (Student Childcare Program) c._Loss of job by self, spouse, or partner d._Not willing to take out extra student loans e._Financial Aid package was not enough f._Difficulty paying for childcare costs g._Unable to find satisfactory quality childcare (regardless of cost} h._Personal problems other than childcare or employment i._I chose to spend more time with my child(ren} j._I have other care taking responsibilities k Conflict with work schedule !._Other Please specify_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 14 During the last term (Winter 2003}, how often did you miss class because of problems with childcare? (mark only one} a No classes missed b._One or two classes missed c._Three or four classes missed d Five or more classes missed 15 Considering your present situation, how certain you feel about reaching your educational goals? (mark only one} a._Very certain; I know I will be able to meet my educational goals b._Somewhat certain; I will probably be able to meet my educational goals c._Somewhat uncertain; I am unsure that I will be able to meet my goals d._Very uncertain; I don't think I will be able to meet my educational goals 73 Finally, we'd like to ask you some questions about yourself 16 What is your age? _ _ 17 What is your gender? _ _ Female _ _ Male 18 What is your marital (legal) status? (mark only one) a._Single d._Separated b._Married e._Domestic Partner c Divorced f._Widowed 19 Which best describes your current living arrangements? (mark only one) a._Living alone (with children) d._Living with parents or other relation b._Living with spouse or partner e._Other Please specify_ _ c._Living with roommates (not including children) 20 Which best describes your race or ethnicity? (mark only one) a _White/Caucasian (Non-Hispanic) d._Asian/Pacific Islander b Black/African American e Native American c._Hispanic/Chicano/Chicana f._Multi-Racial Please specify_ _ _ g._Other Please specify_ _ _ _ 21 How many children you have and what are their ages? Include all children that are your legal dependents a._One child Age_ b._Two children Ages and c._Three children Ages and and d._Four or more children Ages _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 22 What is the approximate gross income for your household? (mark only one) Household is defined as those with whom you share a dwelling and family responsibilities a._Under $5,000 b._$5,000-$9,999 c._$10,000-$14,999 d._$15,000-$19,999 e._$20,000-$24,999 f._$25, 000-$29, 999 g._$30,000-$34,999 h._$35,000-$39,999 i._$40,000-$44,999 j._$45,000-$49,999 k._$50,000-$59,999 l._$60,000-$69,999 m._$70,000-$79,999 n._$80, 000-$89,999 o._$90, 000-$99, 999 p._$100,000 or above 23 What are the sources of income for your household? (mark all that apply) a._My employment g._Grants b._My spouse or partner's employment h._Government Financial Assistance c._Financial Aid Student Loans i._Parents, relatives, or friends d._Financial Aid Work Study j._Pension, Social Security, Disability e._Child Support k._Food Stamps f._Scholarships l._Other Please specify_ _ _ 74 24 How many hours per week you work at a paid job? (including work study) _ _ hours/week 25 What is your current university status? (mark only one) a._First-year d._Senior e._Post baccalaureate b._Sophomore c._Junior f._Masters g._Doctoral h._Non-admitted 26 What is your approximate overall grade point average (GPA)? (mark only one) a._0-1.99 d._3.1-3.5 e 3.51-3.75 b._2.0-2.5 c._2.51-3.0 f._3.76-4.00 27 How much student loan debt you currently have? (mark only one) a._$0 g._$25,000 $34,999 b._$1 $4,999 h._$35,000-$44,999 c._$5,000-$9,999 i._$45,000 -$54,999 d._$10,000 $14,999 j._$55,000 or above e._$15,000 $19,999 f._$20' 000 $2 4' 999 28 Is there anything else you would like to say about childcare and how it affects your experience as a student? Do you have any ideas for resources on campus that would help you in your role as a student parent? Thank you very much for participating in The PSU Student Parent Survey Please return this survey by May in the postage-paid envelope 75 Appendix C: Reminder Postcard Hello! About a week ago you received the PSU Student Parent Survey in the mail This research is part of my graduate work as a student in the Sociology Department at PSU I sent you this survey so that we can obtain valuable information about student parents at PSU The results of this important study will be presented to PSU school administrators and others who are responsible for resource allocation at PSU If you have already completed and returned your survey, thank you very much for your quick response If you have not yet completed and returned your survey in the stamped, self-addressed envelope, please take time to so Your participation is critical for the success of this study If you have misplaced the survey or have other questions, please contact me at the address below Thank you for your participation, E Dawn Creach Department of Sociology Portland State University PO Box 751 Portland, OR 97207-07 51 Phone: 503-725-9025 E-mail: creach@pdx.edu 76 ... Title: The Effects of Subsidized Childcare on Student Parents' Access to Higher Education at Portland State University Student parents are an increasing population of enrollees in higher education... Access to Subsidized Childcare & Age of Child (%) 58 I INTRODUCTION This research explores the extent to which subsidized childcare has an effect on student parents' access to higher education... 5-19) The last section of the survey gathered more childcare information, such as students' total monthly cost for childcare, and how many classes they had missed during the previous term due to childcare